Dr. James Naismith

Dr. James Naismith was a Canadian physical educator and the inventor of basketball. In 1891, while working at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, he created the game as an indoor sport to keep students active during winter. Naismith developed 13 basic rules and hung a peach basket at each end of the gym, marking the beginning of basketball. His innovative approach transformed physical education, leading to basketball's growth into a global sport and a major part of American culture. Naismith's legacy continues to influence sports and fitness today, as basketball remains widely played around the world.